Faith
by laurah2215
Summary: Series:These Changes; Story #6


Title:Faith

Title:Faith  
Author:LauraH  
Rating: PG-13, Teen  
Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, I wouldn't be spending my  
summer filing and working the phones in an insurance office.  
Synopsis: It's 2020, and the Concannons and Lymans take their annual  
summer vacation together. Emotions are high.

"It's hard to believe this is the eleventh year we've come here,"  
Donna comments, grabbing a cooler from the trunk of the S.U.V.

CJ smiles her agreement, preoccupied with arranging the dining  
tent so that the raccoons and other animals can't smell the food  
they've packed for a week's vacation on the lake about an hour away  
from CJ and Danny's and Josh and Donna's Santa Monica homes. The two  
families are taking their annual (often overdue) vacation from summer  
camps, television and work. CJ and Donna had left their  
organization," Paving the Way to Prosperity", in the competent hands  
of the Board of Directors and Trustees, Josh was on summer vacation  
from guest lecturing and teaching two classes at UCLA, and Danny  
had(reluctantly) left the "L.A. Times" to the editors beneath him to  
run for a week (although he will be glued to his Trio).

The men (Josh, Danny and the Lyman's thirteen year-old son, Leo)  
are working on pitching the four small tents(one for CJ and Danny; one  
for Josh and Donna; one for Leo, Noah-the Lyman's nine year-old son-  
and Patrick; and one for Reese and the Lyman's eleven year-old  
daughter, Ella). Reese and Ella are helping their mothers unpack the  
many bags, while Patrick and Noah have already commenced their annual  
frog hunt.

"No, I'm tellin' ya the little silver doodad connects to that  
black doohickey." Josh points to the pile of poles and tangled  
material lying on the grass in front of them.

"Real technical, dad." Leo rolls his eyes dramatically. At  
thirteen, he is the spitting image of his father-curly light brown  
hair, brown eyes and prominent dimples. Like his father, he has a  
tendency to get sarcastic and cocky.

"Watch it or you'll find out what a week without magazines, video  
games, your 'Sidekick' and human contact is like," Josh threatens,  
although he knows the threat will not be taken seriously.

Danny shakes his head, a smile escaping his lips. "Okay, we go  
through this every year. They're just tents. Many people who have half  
the I.Q. of either of us have put these things together successfully."

"Right. Mind over matter. It's just a tent," Josh reiterates,  
like a personal mantra. He stares down the dismembered tent like a  
champion facing a challenger.

"We don't want a repeat of the 2015 incident," Donna calls  
teasingly from her spot in the dining tent, where she is helping CJ  
organize.

"Why don't we just read the instructions?" Leo suggests,  
appraising the disorderly arrangement of tent parts.

After sharing a look, Danny and Josh burst into a fit of laughter.

"Okay, kids. Time to clean up the tent and wash the dishes,"  
Donna announces, getting up from her spot at the large wooden picnic  
table in the dining tent. Josh and Danny sit in lawn chairs at either  
end of the table, their families between them.

"But I spent all afternoon helping Dad and Danny with the tents,"  
Leo objects.

"Yeah, and I put all the stuff away for Mom and Donna," Reese  
points out. " We should be exempt from dish-duty."

"Me, too!" Noah adds, flashing his toothy grin.

"What did you do to deserve an exemption?" Josh challenges his  
youngest son with raised eyebrows.

Noah turns to Patrick beside him. " We're tired from chasing the  
frogs."

CJ has to suppress a giggle. " Okay, I think that solves it.  
Pat, Noah, you're gonna help Donna and I clean the kitchen."

Noah pouts his mother's signature pout. Josh has to stifle the  
urge to demand that the youngest child be let off the hook.

"Yes, home-free," Reese cheers, her curly red ponytail wagging.

"Don't speak so soon. You and Leo are on breakfast duty," CJ  
tells her daughter with a fixed, yet warm, stare.

Danny stands up and reminds the children to express their  
gratitude for dinner. All the kids comply before rushing off to  
partake in their chosen activities. With a kiss to her crown, Danny  
whispers his thanks to CJ before slipping out of the tent behind Josh  
and letting the younger boys and the women commence cleaning the area.

Josh and Danny begin to build a fire about seventy-five feet away  
from the camping area. In the last eleven years, the city men had  
perfected the art of building a slow-burning, strong fire-perfect for  
roasting marshmallows and singing traditional camp songs.

"Tell another one, Daddy!" Ella demands sweetly, leaning forward  
in Josh's lap to turn her marshmallow above the simmering embers. At  
eleven, Ella is only beginning to acquire the all-familiar teenage  
attitude. Today, she is her normally sweet self, content to be on  
vacation with her parents.

"I don't know. I think the boys are getting scared. " Josh, with  
a small grin, turns to appraise Noah, who is resting on his mother's  
knee. With downy blonde hair and blue eyes, Noah is his mother's son  
in every way imaginable. He didn't idolize Josh the way Leo had (and  
still does, to a degree).

Ella rolls her blues eyes (directly inherited from her mother,  
along with her blonde ringlets). " They're babies. We wanna hear more,  
right Reese?"

Reese cocks her neck to catch the look on Leo's face. The two are  
sharing a log and expertly roasting marshmallows for their mothers. "  
I'm game."

"Josh, why don't you tell a nice story?" Donna suggests, her eyes  
darting from Noah (who is starting to look quite uncomfortable) to  
Patrick, who (at his mother's side) is openly frightened.

Josh chuckles. " I don't have any. That's Danny's forte."

Danny regales the children with a humorous anecdote from the 1998  
election, when they had all been on the road with Bartlet. Most of  
them roll their eyes and groan throughout these stories, but none of  
the children object to hearing about their late surrogate grandfather  
and his loyal staff. It isn't long before everyone is stifling yawns  
and sporting droopy eyelids. Eventually the women call it a night and  
usher their children into the tents.

"Okay, you all set, honey?" Donna leans forward on her hands and  
knees in the tent lit lightly by a flashlight. She ruffles Noah's  
flaxen hair and places a kiss on his cheek.

"Mom, get out of here," Noah imitates his brother's usual  
response to his mother's affection. He may not idolize his father, but  
the nine year-old desperately tries to win the approval of his older  
brother.

"All right, if you boys need anything, Donna and I will be on  
either side of your tent. Have a good sleep." CJ pulls the sleeping  
bag up to Pat's chin and kisses his forehead. "Sweet dreams." Pat (who  
will be twelve at the end of November), being Autistic, doesn't  
possess the confidence and social skills the other children take for  
granted. As a result, he tends to cling to familiar people and places.  
He is used to this yearly camping vacation and mostly enjoys the  
company of the Lyman children, but he still prefers the company of his  
mother.

"Night, boys. Be good. We love you." Donna calls, opening the  
flap to climb out of the tent.

"Love you guys," CJ whispers, following Donna out of the tent.

The women go to check on the girl's tent, just as Danny and Josh  
come to say goodnight to the boys.

The morning is a typical vacation morning. Noah and Patrick help  
CJ and Donna roast bannock (a flat bread with cinnamon and brown  
sugar) and bacon over the fire, while Leo prepares the small rented  
power-boat and tackle boxes with Josh and Danny, and Reese and Ella  
put on the small amount of makeup their father's will allow.

After their traditional camp breakfast, Donna and CJ go to clean  
themselves up, Josh and Danny set to fix a weak leg on the picnic  
table, Pat and Noah take their nets to the beach to catch minnows,  
Ella heads to the tent to change into a bathing suit, and Reese and  
Leo are left to tidy the makeshift kitchen and fire pit.

"I hate this. Thank God we have a dishwasher at home." Reese  
brings a slender, pale hand up to swipe at the sweat on her forehead.

Leo looks up from the soapy basin of water. " It could be worse.  
Besides, what else would you be doing right now? Listening to your  
ipod? Checking your instant messages? Making dates for the moment we  
get home?"

Reese glowers harshly and drops the towel. "I'll have you know,  
I've got a lot more going on in my life than friends and music. Too  
bad you can't say the same." Her mother's influence presents itself in  
how she defends herself.

Leo chuckles and resumes his chore of scrubbing the dishes. "  
Right, I forgot. You do ballet, right?"

"It's gymnastics, and I happen to be quite good at it." Reese  
sticks her nose up and pretends to ignore the boy who shares her birthday.

"Of course. I remember Mom and Dad went to some recital of yours  
last year." Leo pretends not to be interested in his neighbour. He's  
deliberately provoking Reese, and loving every minute of it.

Reese tosses her towel on the table. "It was the state-wide  
championship, and I came in second place."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Leo deadpans, his dimple-filled  
smile lighting up his face.

"Shut up. I'm gonna..." Reese starts to playfully swat Leo with  
the towel.

"What, what are you gonna do, little girl?" Leo dodges Reese's  
swings, a contagious grin spreading across his lips.

"I'm gonna kick your little..."Reese loses her balance and leans  
forward, grasping Leo's shoulders unsteadily.

Leo stops cold and swallows hard, his hands securing Reese's  
elbows. He had never had Reese, not to mention any other girl, so  
close to him before. Butterflies flutter in his stomach.

Reese stares deep into Leo's brown eyes, a wave of vertigo  
overwhelming her.

" I thought I heard fighting in here," CJ comments as she steps  
into the dining tent, an inquisitive look on her face.

Leo lets go of Reese's arm like they're on fire.

Reese whips around to offer her mother an awkward smile. "No,  
we're fine."

CJ raises an eyebrow, taking in the countenance of both children.  
"Okay, good. You guys are just gonna have to get along this week.  
Believe it or not, you're role models to the younger kids and they'll  
follow your lead."

"We'll try to tolerate each other, CJ," Leo smiles confidently.

CJ smiles back warmly. " You're good kids. Finish these dishes  
and you're off the hook for the rest of the day." CJ turns on her heel  
and leaves the teens to finish their job.

Neither Reese nor Leo attempt conversation, and eye contact is  
kept to a minimal. After they put away the dishes, both go back to  
their respective tent to change into their swimsuits.

By the time Reese makes it to the beach, everyone is already  
settled. Josh is in the water with Pat, Leo, Ella and Noah ,and Danny  
is rubbing sun block into CJ's back. Donna is sprawled out on a towel  
in the sand and CJ is lounging in a lawn chair, a book and bottle of  
water at her side. As Danny screws the cap onto the bottle of sun  
block, he gets a glimpse of Reese approaching them and heading to the  
water.

"Whoa, hold it, young lady. Come here." Danny waves two fingers,  
gesturing for Reese to come closer.

"What? I want to get in the water," Reese whines, hands on hips.

"Not like that you aren't. What's that you're wearing?" Danny  
gestures to Reese's green and pink swimsuit, clearly not impressed.

"It's called a tank-ini," Reese supplies, growing impatient.

"It's called five years too old for you. Go put on another suit."  
Danny tilts his head, meeting his daughter's perturbed eyes.

"Dad, that's not fair. There's nothing wrong with this!" Reese  
protests, now becoming quite embarrassed at this unprovoked attention.

CJ reaches out to place a hand on Danny's arm. " Honey, let it go."

"You approve of this?" Danny asks incredulously.

CJ stares into her husband's eyes, capturing his attention. "It's  
a harmless bathing suit, Danny. She's not wearing a string bikini,  
she's adequately covered. When you're raising teenagers you have to  
pick your battles. This is one I don't have the time, energy or  
inclination to pursue. If you don't want to start a long, painful and  
unnecessary fight with your daughter, then let it go."

Swallowing hard, Danny returns his gaze to his daughter. It hurts  
him to know that she isn't his little baby anymore-that she'd rather  
have her independence than her father's protection. " Okay,  
sweetheart, let's get in the water," Danny practically whispers, not  
able to meet his daughter's eyes. He walks out to meet her and extends  
his hand for her.

Reese, accepting Danny's outstretched hand, grins back. " Okay."

Hand-in-hand, Danny and Reese descend the beach and slowly wade  
into the shallow water.

"Reese, you know that I only mean the best, right?" Danny looks  
down at the little girl who, at only thirteen, is five feet and six  
inches tall.

Reese stops short and gazes at her father. "Sure, but sometimes  
you can be a little...overbearing," she admits with a guilty smile.

Danny cracks a smile. " Your mother says the same thing. But  
honey, I'm just having a hard time with you growing up. Sometimes I  
just wish you'd crawl into my lap and demand just one more bedtime  
story. You used to look at me with your mother's blue eyes and my  
heart would melt."

Reese traces circle patterns across the water with her  
forefinger. " And that doesn't work anymore?"

Danny shakes his head affectionately. " You may have me wrapped  
around your finger, my dear, but I can still put my foot down."

"Until Mom contradicts you and lets me off the hook," Reese grins  
smartly.

Danny narrows his eyes seriously. "Who would you rather dish out  
the punishment, me or your mother?"

Reese's lips purse in contemplation. " Good point."

"I thought so." Danny may appear to be the softy, the easy  
parent, but in truth, when it comes to important things like  
sentencing their children for misdemeanors, CJ and Danny work as  
partners and make the decisions together. It's a rare occurrence for  
either of them to contradict the other's orders.

"Come on, Reese. We're playing 'Marco, Polo'." Ella waves her  
over into deeper waters, where Leo is "it". He is standing with his  
back to the shore, counting to thirty and giving everyone an  
opportunity to hide.

Reese and Danny join in the game and rush to get away from Leo.  
Leo finishes counting, whips around quickly with his eyes shut and  
begins to shout "Marco", while blindly searching out for everyone.

Leo almost catches Noah and Ella, but both manage to slip under  
the water and escape their brother's grasping hands. Josh and Danny  
narrowly swim out of Leo's path and only Reese is unfortunate enough  
to be stirring the water too much and get tagged by Leo.

"Got ya!" Leo cries, taking Reese by both arms and pulling her  
close so she can't escape.

"No fair! I saw you peeking!" Reese protests weakly, still  
cocooned in Leo's slim arms.

"Reese's it!" Noah screams loudly, informing the whole park.

Reese rolls her eyes. " Fine, but I'm getting you back for  
this," she warns, poking Leo in the ribs.

"We'll see about that," Leo accepts the challenge with  
glistening eyes.

"You sure you don't wanna come fishin'?" Danny wraps his arms  
around CJ's torso from behind and encircles her in an intimate hug.

CJ tilts her head to peck her husband lightly on the lips. "No,  
thanks. Donna and I are tired from the sun, not to mention the Frisbee  
tournament."

"Kay, more room for the fish, then," Danny shrugs with a playful  
grin.

The men take the kids out in the boat, leaving CJ and Donna to  
finish cleaning the dining hall before relaxing by the fire.

"Daddy, will you put my worm on?" Ella asks sweetly, squirming  
beneath the orange life vest.

Josh resentfully takes Ella's rod and proceeds to grab a worm  
from the Styrofoam container. He's a long way from the Chief of  
Staff's office.

"If you didn't want to put your own worms on, you should've  
stayed back at camp," Noah teases.

"Shut up. Didn't Dad put your worm on?" Ella retorts haughtily.

"All right, guys. It doesn't matter. Ella, don't say 'shut up'.  
Let's all just fish." Josh hands Ella her rod and leans forward to  
stare into the expansive, deep blue lake.

"Damn it. I lost my worm." Reese purses her lips in frustration  
before pulling her rod out of the water.

"I'll put another on," Leo volunteers immediately, setting his  
rod against the side of the boat.

"Next time when you feel the tug, reel it in quickly so the fish  
doesn't get away," Danny advises his daughter.

"Jee, why didn't I think of that?" Reese remarks sarcastically,  
presenting Leo with the end of the fishing line.

"There you go." Leo smiles awkwardly as he hands Reese her rod back.

With a slight blush, Reese whispers her gratitude and accepts the  
fishing rod.

Leo is walking toward the campfire when Josh stops him with a  
hand to his shoulder. Leo glances inquisitively at his father.

"Come walk with me a minute," Josh tilts his head to the side.

"Okay?" Leo complies with a raised brow, following his father  
over to the tents.

Josh's eyes wander over to the fire-pit. " I noticed you flirting  
with Reese today."

Leo's eyes widen defensively. " Reese? Not a chance."

"Leo, you tackled her in the water and then you didn't hesitate  
to offer to put her worm on. Mom confirmed my suspicions." Josh quirks  
a brow, wanting his son to admit the truth.

"Those were just...I was just being friendly. We were told to get  
along," Leo supplies futilely.

"Look, I may be old, but I'm not dead. Do you...like Reese?" Josh  
asks with a squished face, reminiscent of one in pain.

Leo averts his eyes to the ground coyly. "I dunno. I used to  
think she was a snobby girl, but I saw her differently today."

Josh smiles goofily. " She's not a snob, Leo. She's smart and a  
dedicated gymnast. It wouldn't kill you to adopt some of that  
ambition. Besides, I happen to know she used to think you were a  
dweeby, skinny siss."

"She did?" Leo almost shouts in indignation and surprise. "Well,  
now I can't like her anyway."

Josh can't help but laugh at his son. " Leo, remember how I told  
you that I waited nine years to tell your mother how I felt about her?  
Well, one thing I'm gonna wish for my kids is that when they find that  
someone, they don't hesitate the way we did. It's okay to take risks,  
have a healthy social life. I missed out on that part of my life and  
always felt like I was missing something. If you like Reese, I say  
tell her so. Just promise me this won't end messily. CJ and Danny are  
very good friends of your mother and I."

Leo appears to be contemplating his father's suggestions. "I  
won't do anything to make things weird between you guys," he assures  
his father.

The next morning, Leo invites Reese to join him on a hike up the  
gradually sloping hill the campsite sits upon. Having thought about  
Josh's words, and after talking freely with Reese at the campfire last  
night, Leo decides her should heed his father's advise and not let  
love pass him by. Maybe he'll screw up, maybe his heart will get  
broken, but he's young and has time for that. He doesn't want to end  
up like his parents-together nine years too late.

So, the teens tell their parents they're going to look for  
reception on their "Sidekicks"( electronic devices that have several  
of the key functions of a computer and cell phone, including internet  
access) and begin a slow, leisurely stroll in the woods. For the most  
part, they are silent and avoid eye contact.

"I wanted you to see this spot. I found it three years ago when  
we were here and thought of it as my personal place where no one could  
find me. " Leo stops in a secluded clearing in the woods, surveying  
the peaceful scene in front of him.''

This impresses Reese, that he would show her his secret spot.  
Still, she goes for the banter. " Well, I think you pretty much threw  
all that away when you brought me up here," she chuckles uncomfortably.

"You wanna sit?" Leo offers, gesturing to a couple tree stumps  
standing in front of a thick layer of tall trees.

"Ah, sure," Reese shrugs and follows Leo over to the stumps. For  
a few minutes, she simply stares off into the distance, soaking up the  
smell of the trees and moss and lake. She isn't a country type of  
girl (she goes to a prestigious private school in L.A., after all),  
but she can appreciate the relaxing outdoors on occasion-much like her  
parents. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Leo shrugs, mentally preparing in his mind how he's going  
to go about relaying his feeling for Reese to her.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You've basically ignored me for  
the last...four years." Reese's forehead is scrunched in confusion.

Leo leans forward, his eyebrows quirked in the same fashion as  
his father. "You've ignored me. Every time we come over for something,  
you've got a friend over or you're out at practice or doing something  
else."

"I wasn't ignoring you, I just...I didn't ignore you." Reese  
whispers, lowering her eyes.

"Well, I didn't ignore you, either. I guess I realize now that  
you're not that little tomboy who played on my little league team,"  
Leo divulges coyly.

A tiny smile escapes Reese's lips. " That's good to know. And, I  
no longer see you as a geeky, creepy boy."

Leo plain grins from ear-to-ear. " So, does that mean you like me?"

"Do you like me?" Reese throws back quickly.

Leo averts his eyes to the ground, almost as uncomfortable with  
romantic confrontations as his father had been before marrying Donna.  
"Maybe, I guess...Yeah," he sighs and hesitantly brings his eyes up to  
meet Reese's concentrated gaze.

She offers him a warm, encouraging, open smile. "I like you, too."

With his father's words echoing in his head, the young teen  
tentatively leans forward to press his lips to Reese's.

"No, what we need is hard wood. Hard wood burns slowly. No  
spruce," Josh tells Danny with conviction as they climb to a clearing  
in the woods, looking for good firewood.

"Wait, let's go over that again, 'cause I don't think I  
understood it the last ELEVEN years. We need soft wood?" Danny shakes  
his head with a grin, despite Josh's annoying and limited outdoors  
trivia.

"You know, I could take this axe and chop your head off. I'd  
leave it here and no one would ever suspect me." Josh utters an empty  
threat, unable to keep a straight face.

"Sure, except that you've got your DNA all over that axe and you  
would be the last to see me." Danny shrugs, impervious.

"I remember seeing hard wood..." Josh stops short, bumfuzzled at  
the sight in front of him. Only a few feet to the left of them, Josh's  
son and Danny's daughter are sharing a hesitant kiss.

When Danny's eyes fall on the object of Josh's stray glance, he  
loses his breath. Processing the facts, Danny quickly surges  
adrenaline, his heartbeat beginning to quicken. "Reese Jean Cregg  
Concannon!"

Upon hearing her father's unnaturally booming, threatening voice,  
Reese pulls back, obviously startled.

"Danny, I..."

"Young man, if you value your life at all, you'll refrain from  
speaking unless you're addressed," Danny spits between gritted teeth,  
slowly approaching the teenagers.

"All right, Danny, let's try to be rational about this." Josh  
can't believe he's being the calm, rational one.

Danny glowers harshly at his friend. " How can you be so relaxed  
about this?" Danny gestures to the kids sitting awkwardly on the tree  
stumps.

Josh offers the children a pained smile. " 'Cause they're kids.  
This is what kids do."

"Not my daughter. Come on, honey." Danny waves for Reese to  
follow him and quickly begins to retrace his route.

Reese remains seated and replies evenly, " I want to stay here."

Flabbergasted at his daughter's gumption, Danny whips around. " I  
didn't ask you, Reese. Now come on." He reaches out and takes Reese  
by a hand. Reese has no choice but to reluctantly follow her father.  
She gives Leo an apologetic look, begging him to understand.

"How could you do this? I thought you were more responsible than  
that." Danny shakes his head in disbelief, dragging Reese down the  
sloping hill.

"Daddy..."

Danny continues to lead Reese down the slope by the hand, his  
tunnel vision fogging his reason. "All the trust we put into you. I  
never expected you to...with Leo. You're turning into a nice young  
woman and it's not nice to play with boy's hearts. You may think it's  
harmless, but..."

"Daddy!" Reese screams and stops abruptly.

Danny whips around, panting heavily from emotion and rushing around.

"I've been trying to tell you...This isn't just a game. I  
actually like Leo," Reese admits coyly, her gaze fixed on the ground.

By this time, Josh and Leo have caught up and have stopped a  
couple feet behind the father and daughter.

Danny quickly shares a look with Josh." Well, now this is just a  
whole other kettle of fish," Danny sighs, rubbing at his temple.

"We should probably go sit down and...discuss...it." Josh's  
eyebrows raise and he motions in the direction of the campsite a few  
yards down hill.

"Yes, we're definitely gonna talk about this." Danny commences a  
brisk walk down to the campsite, and everyone follows in toe.

Once the reach the camping ground, Danny turns around and faces  
the small group, which seems to be looking to him for direction.

"Okay, here, here, here's what we're gonna do." Biting his bottom  
lip and touching his forefinger to his chin, Danny comes to a hasty  
decision. " We're gonna forget what happened up there, you're gonna  
promise not to...do anything romantic, and you're only gonna be  
together when you're with your families."

Josh's eyes dilate in surprise. Leo's mouth falls agape. Reese  
confronts her father with a harsh glare.

"That's completely unfair!" Reese shouts in protest.

"I don't give a damn, Reese! The sooner you realize that life  
isn't fair, the easier your life will be." After the explosion, Danny  
instantly regrets his tone and words.

It only takes a few seconds for CJ and Donna (who had been  
lathering the children in sun block so they could commence a game of  
beach volleyball) to run toward the group gathered at the foot of the  
hill. Their problem-spotting instincts had went right to work.

"What's going on?" CJ inquires without preamble.

Danny gestures between Reese and Leo. " Your daughter was kissing  
Leo."

Shock registers on the women's faces before they comport  
themselves and prepare to handle the situation.

"Okay, well, we should probably talk about this," CJ drawls slowly.

"Yeah, I suggested that a while ago," Josh supplies, clearly  
uncomfortable.

"I'm trying to talk to Reese but she's not listening to me,"  
Danny pouts.

"Okay, honey, why don't we do this in private?" CJ suggests,  
laying a hand on Reese's shoulder to comfort the distressed and  
embarrassed young girl. "Will you excuse us?"

Donna nods and offers a small smile.

CJ steers Reese over to the tents, stops and turns to face her  
daughter. She gives her hands a light squeeze and offers an  
encouraging smile. "Tell me what happened."

"Well,"

CJ gives Danny her signature glower. " I asked Reese. You'll have  
your input later."

Reese focuses her words on her mother, still upset with her  
father for embarrassing her and treating her like a little child.  
"It's nothing, really. I went into the woods with Leo, he wanted to  
show me the view. Somehow we admitted that we like each other and it  
led to a kiss."

"Making-out, is more like it. It wasn't appropriate, CJ," Danny  
interjects.

CJ narrows her eyes threateningly in Danny's direction. " Stop  
it. I've already heard your opinion. The whole camp has heard your  
opinion."

"He dragged me down the hill and wouldn't even let me say  
anything to Leo. Even Josh thought it would have been better if Dad  
hadda calmed down." Reese folds her arms together, clearly still upset.

CJ tilts her head and frowns sympathetically, meeting Danny's  
eyes. " You should have stopped to get a hold of your emotions."

"But I was so upset to see my daughter..."

"I know, but now look what you've done. You've humiliated your  
daughter and made an awkward situation for the rest of us," CJ points  
out evenly.

"I can't believe you could be like this." Reese shakes her head  
with a pained expression before rushing off to find a place to bury  
her sorrows.

"Reese!" Danny calls desperately, but she's half way across the  
campsite and the damage has been inflicted. "Great."

"You've got no one to blame but yourself." CJ reaches out to take  
Danny's hand in hers. He doesn't yell at the kids. If they have to  
reprimand the kids, it's usually her dishing out the heavy hand  
because he can't stand to hurt them, even if it is for a good reason.

"She shouldn't a kissed..."

CJ puts a hand to halt Danny. "Danny, stop. She's a thirteen  
year-old girl, you should get used to this. Leo may be the first, but  
he won't be the last. You have years of this ahead of you, so you  
better get used to it and make up with your daughter or it'll be so  
much harder for all of us. Danny, she's growing up and as much as that  
terrifies you, you're gonna lose that bond with her if you try to  
resist it. Show her love and pride and trust and confidence and she'll  
make it through puberty just fine"

"It's not her I'm worried about, it's me," Danny huffs with a  
pronounced pout.

Smiling in sympathy, CJ takes Danny's face between her hands and  
drop a kiss to his lips. "You're gonna be okay, too."

Sighing, Danny wraps his hand around CJ's hand and slowly begins  
to head toward the beach." I just can't believe she's kissing boys. It  
seems like just yesterday she was falling off her bike and asking me  
to fix her toy dog. I used to be her hero, ya know?"

CJ grins back toothily. " You'll always be her hero, Danny. But  
from now, you're not always gonna be the only important man in her  
life. Look, she's sitting in the sand with Leo. Go over there and talk  
to her. And," CJ pokes Danny's chest with her index finger. " be nice.  
Don't raise your voice or threaten Leo in any way."

Danny rolls his eyes with a tiny smile. " You're taking all the  
fun out of it."

"Go," CJ gives him a little shove. Once her husband is heading  
for their daughter, CJ turns around and goes in search of Donna.

"I'm not a little girl anymore," Reese points out, seated on a log  
at the fire pit, next to Danny.

"I know that…"

"Why do you treat me like a baby? Don't you trust me to handle  
myself?"

"Yes,"

"Then why…"

"It's not you. It's never gonna be you. It's him, it's Leo, it's  
all the guys."

Reese's eyebrows rise in skepticism, and Danny curses (not for  
the first time) Reese's similarities to her mother. " Daddy…"

"It's not just Leo. Reese, when you become a parent your whole  
world changes. I didn't know what it felt like to have someone depend  
on me, and I didn't realize I was capable of so much feeling. You and  
your brother are the best things your mom and I ever did. There isn't  
anything we wouldn't do for you. You're my little girl, and If I'm  
gonna have to get used to you growing up and seeing boys, then you'll  
have to realize that no boy will ever be good enough for you- in my eyes."

Reese grins heartily. "But Leo…"

"Comes pretty close," Danny assures her with a soft smile.

"I don't what's gonna happen next, but I don't want to hide  
anything from you," Reese tells Danny quietly.

"You don't have to. I really am sorry I yelled. You should be  
able to come to your mom and I about anything. Come here, kidlet."  
Danny reaches over to envelop his daughter in his arms.

"So, how's Danny taking today's news piece?" Donna inquires,  
scrubbing several large pots in a big silver basin in the dining tent,  
CJ aiding the process.

With an eye roll, CJ grins. "I think he's about to lose it. He  
actually told Reese that she's the reason for his receding hairline."

Donna chuckles at that. " Yeah, Josh is feeling pretty old right  
about now, too. He can't believe his son is interested in girls."

"Donna, you think this is gonna work out? What happens if the  
kids break up?" CJ finally releases the tiny hesitation she had been  
holding onto all day.

"Leo's a sweet kid. Yeah, he's got Josh's attitude, but he's  
loyal to his friends and family, and he wouldn't do anything to Reese."

"I didn't think Leo would hurt her…" CJ quickly clarifies. " But  
they're so young and this is a first relationship for both of them and  
it's bound to…"

"Reese has never had another boyfriend?" Donna's eyes dilate in  
surprise.

CJ shakes her head in confusion. "No, this is a first for her. Why?"

Donna frowns. " She's just seems so…outgoing and precocious…"

"You calling my daughter a slut?" CJ cracks a smile, knowing that  
wasn't truly what her friend had wanted to say.

"Of course not!" Donna says firmly. " I love Reese and only think  
highly of her. It's just…I still think she has more experience in this  
department than Leo."

"She doesn't!"" CJ reiterates, now growing slightly irritated.

"I just don't want either of them to end up hurt," Donna  
whispers, barely audible, as she sets her cloth down.

CJ replies seriously, "Donna, Reese wouldn't hurt Leo, we've  
brought her up to be respectful and considerate. Besides, Leo is a  
tough guy, he could handle it."

"He got Josh's devotion. When he lets someone into his heart, he  
doesn't easily let go," Donna whispers, almost like a warning.

"I guess we'll just have to let this run its course. The less  
interference on our part, the better." CJ places the pots in a large  
plastic storage bin.

Nodding thoughtfully, Donna silently agrees.

"Tomorrow Reese and Leo want to take a picnic lunch into the  
woods," Danny relays to CJ, sliding on top of the air mattress and  
pulling his half of the sheets and sleeping bag over his thermal  
underwear (the air gets quite nippy at night).

"Awe, that's so cute and old school romantic," CJ gushes, curling  
into Danny's side with a wide grin.

Danny glowers, clearly not amused by it at all. " They want to go  
alone. So, I told them no."

CJ rolls her eyes and reaches over to turn off the flashlight  
illuminating their tent. "Danny, you need to relax. It's just lunch  
together."

"It may appear to be an innocent lunch, but I was his age once  
and I know what boys his age want," Danny wags his eyebrows in an  
obvious gesture.

CJ can't contain a small smile as she shakes her head  
affectionately at her husband. " I don't think we have to worry about  
that just yet."

"You didn't see their kiss,' Danny insists, wrapping an arm  
around her snuggly.

"Don't worry, they're no where near ready for anything physical.  
And when Reese is ready, she has me to talk to."

Danny's eyes dilate in surprise. " Don't talk like that, CJ. I  
told you, she's entering the convent and a fulfilling life of celibacy."

CJ bursts into a giggling fit. "Oh, how I'd like to be a fly on  
the wall when you have that discussion with her."

Danny quirks an eyebrow. "You think I'm joking…"

"Danny, remember how we talked about you letting go and trusting  
the daughter that you've been raising for thirteen years? This is one  
of those times where you've gotta step back and count your blessings."  
CJ grazes Danny's cheek with her thumb and lowers her voice, thick  
with emotion. "We have wonderful children who love us and respect  
their fellow human beings and it isn't easy to see them individuate.  
But, when it comes time for our last judgment and we're standing  
outside's Peter's gates and God asks what we've given back to his  
world, we can bow our heads and offer our children- our angels, our  
saviors, his servants. Sure we made mistakes along the way and there  
will be even more trying times ahead, but our children are our single  
best contribution to this world. It's time for your to put your trust  
in your daughter, and in faith."

Tears stain Danny's pale, worn cheeks. He nods mutely, his gaze  
heavy on CJ's eyes. " Faith," he whispers hoarsely.

"Faith, and a little prayer and love never hurt," CJ grins,  
leaning in to capture Danny's lips. Thirteen and a half years ago,  
Danny had taught CJ how to let go of the little things and anchor  
herself to something she could have faith in. She put her faith in  
Danny, and one marriage, two children, eleven camping trips, and four  
jobs later, and she's never felt so secure. It's time for her to  
preach to the choir and show Danny what his faith has given her for  
thirteen years.

The End


End file.
